Review by Booklist Review
Lily is a fairy who is a failure at flying. The other fairies have wings that look like butterflies', but Lily's remain small and translucent. In her frustration, she spends time alone in the forest. Because she is more observant about what is happening on the ground, she's able to find an amazing house inside a hollow tree, filled with fairy-sized furnishings. Willow, a young human, built the house and is thrilled when a real fairy discovers it, and the two begin an unlikely friendship. Willow helps Lily practice flying; her support and encouragement inspire Lily to keep trying until she has success. The other fairies, including Lily's mother, observe Lily's growth with love. Soft, dreamlike digital illustrations in a cartoon style depict a tranquil forest home for the fairies and a detailed fairy house. The ending allows for more adventures for the two, as this appears to be the beginning of a series. While the story's central issue is resolved somewhat easily, the wish-fulfillment aspect of befriending a fairy will appeal to many young readers.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Jackson (Claudette Colvin: I Want Freedom Now!) presents a whimsical tale about young Lily, "the only fairy who just couldn't find her wings." While other fairies take to the skies, Lily is "the only one who knew about the beauty closer to the ground." As she trudges into the forest after a tough flying lesson, a tumble over an acorn finds her approaching a well-appointed fairy-size residence in a hollow tree, and encountering a human girl, Willow, peering inside. When Lily must return to fetch a prized possession, and Willow compassionately offers it up, the girl also proves a help with Lily's flying trouble, even creating a miniature helmet and trampoline for Lily's efforts. Airy digital illustrations that foreground the natural world charmingly limn the story's fantastical components as well as its characters' affection. Though some plot points feel left up to interpretation, readers will appreciate the young fairy's newfound bond, confidence, and know-how--"She didn't yet soar with the birds or the butterflies.... But with her new friend Willow cheering her on, Lily was over the moon." An author's note concludes. Characters are portrayed with brown skin. Ages 4--8. (Jan.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A fairy struggling to fly finds friendship with a kindhearted girl. More than anything, Lily wants to soar "with the birds and the butterflies high above the treetops." Lily's well acquainted with "the beauty closer to the ground," but each time she attempts to fly, she tumbles to the ground. Her discouragement is palpable. When she finds a quaint fairy house in the woods, she marvels at the chair made of twigs and the lovely lanterns. She soon learns that the house was made by a gentle young girl named Willow. Willow patiently supports Lily, bringing her a fairy-size trampoline and a tiny helmet. Lily still finds flying a challenge, but she's bolstered by Willow's presence. The illustrations portray a ballerinalike Lily, her curly hair in a bun, while Willow has a friendly and welcoming face. Filled with large-eyed characters, butterflies, glittery trails, and sun flares, the images feel almost like stills from an animated video. While Lily is the lead character in this story, in her author's note, Jackson describes the bond with the human girl as the focus and adds that the story reflects her own sense of wonder at the natural world. The plotline is somewhat quiet--a quality that children must cultivate if they hope to entice fairies of their own--while the messages of compassion and helping others achieve their dreams come through strongly. Willow and Lily are Black. A low-key tale of magic and friendship.(Picture book. 3-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
